Boca scrubland could be home to massive mixed-use complex

BOCA RATON — An 80-acre parcel in the central part of the city could become home to a high-density development.

A new proposal calls for 1.335 million square feet of commercial space and 1,555 residential units in an area bordered roughly by Interstate 95 to its northwest, Spanish River Boulevard to the south.

It's the first set of specific plans for developing what the city calls "planned mobility" sites, where the city's master plan could be relaxed if it's demonstrated the design would take vehicles off the road.

As submitted to the city last week by Boca real estate company Penn-Florida, the planned "University Village" would have 19.4 residential units per acre.

"Projects like this will change its content many times before it comes out in the end as a project that gets presented to the city council," Mayor Susan Whelchel said. "That's why we don't overly engage until we know that city staff (members) and zoning have had a good chance to weigh in."

The preliminary plans don't indicate the total square footage proposed for the project's residential component. Retail and restaurant space account for the largest part of the proposed commercial space at 570,000 square feet. Office space would make up 420,000 square feet, hotel space, 265,000 square feet. A category called medical/educational/institutional would have 80,000 square feet of space, documents show.

It doesn't sound like anything Shirley Mitchell wants in the neighborhood she's lived in since 1969.

"I'm not for them putting anything back there," said the retired post office worker. "I don't know how they'd get all that back in there."

Boca Raton Regional Hospital owns the parcel framed by residential streets, mostly Northwest Fifth Avenue and Northwest Fifth Lane. The hospital bought the property for $25 million in 2005 as part of a plan to build a teaching hospital, but that fell through under the weight of a sagging economy.

"We have a contract to sell it to a third party," said Marlene Moni, hospital spokeswoman. "That third party will be proceeding through a municipal approval process for development at an appropriate time in the future."

The architect listed on the documents, Vander Ploeg and Associates Inc., referred questions to Penn-Florida President Mark Gensheimerand Peter Odorico, the company's vice president for development, who couldn't be reached for comment.

The city council in October 2010 updated the plan that guides growth in certain areas, allowing more relaxed development rules to maximize walking, biking or taking the train.

It affects the North Federal Highway corridor, Town Center mall, downtown, the Arvida Park of Commerce and Florida Atlantic University and this parcel.

The designation allows a range of uses — office, health care, housing, hotel, recreation, educational, financial and cultural — with an eye toward making it a center of activity around the clock.

But the city has not defined any specific rules and assistant city manager Mike Woika said it's a work in progress.

City Councilman Anthony Majhess said, as proposed, this development could easily mean 3 million new square feet at a density that rivals downtown – not appropriate in a neighborhood with single-family homes.

"Everyone is in a rush to get whatever the bank is loaning for," he said.

Neighbors said they shudder at the thought.

"Anything they do to destroy that scrubland is a sin," said Kay Lee, explaining she's seen foxes, raccoons and exotic birds there. "That's why I moved here. It's a delight to live here."

Jennifer Grinnell, a resident for more than 20 years, said she was hoping the land would be preserved.

"It's all that's left of old Florida around here," she said. "I think it's horrible."